According to the Catholic News Agency, the Pope has decided to finally go all RIAA on the world and start defending the Papal image. A copyright was filed. I kid not.
[The] Vatican has felt it necessary to declare that “it alone has the right to ensure the respect due to the Successors of Peter, and therefore, to protect the figure and personal identity of the Pope from the unauthorized use of his name and/or the papal coat of arms for ends and activities which have little or nothing to do with the Catholic Church.”
The declaration alludes to attempts to use ecclesiastical or pontifical symbols and logos to “attribute credibility and authority to initiatives” as another reason to establish their “copyright” on the Holy Father’s name, picture and coat of arms.
Is this the end of Pope On A Rope? Pope condoms? Or my personal favorite, the Pope Teddy Bear
I’m pretty sure someone in the Papal legal department doesn’t understand the difference between a copyright and a trademark but I do look forward to Swiss Guard raids on street vendors in the next city the Pope goes to. And a free Pope Snuggie to the person who can email me the first Papal Take-Down notice for unauthorized use of image on their website.
